J&K cop conned into passing troop deployment info to Pak spy

Srinagar, Oct 13: Jammu and Kashmir police has been left red faced after one of its officers passed on information about the deployment of police and paramilitary forces in the Valley to a Pakistani spy who posed as an 'Army Commander'.

The Police Control Room here recently received a call from a Pakistani spy who demanded information about the force deployment.

The call was intercepted by central intelligence agencies which submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry about the "negligence" on the part of the Kashmir police officer.

The Home Ministry asked the Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar to initiate an inquiry against the officer, who has been suspended, official sources said here.

The errant Inspector was officiating as Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police Control Room. Giving details of the incident, the sources said a call was received by the official concerned (name withheld) on a land line number and the caller identified himself as an "Army Commander".

He asked the officer to share details of deployment of police and paramilitary forces in the Kashmir Valley which is witnessing unrest since July 8. The caller also provided a number to the officer and asked him to use one of the instant messaging services for sending the information, sources said.

Not realising that he was being conned into passing on confidential information by a Pakistani spy, the officer did the needful. Later, on being confronted, he told his superiors that he had informed his immediate senior in the control room about the call and whether he should share the deployment details.

It was only after his senior voiced 'no reservation' that he passed on the information using an instant messaging application. Senior officials of the state police said it was a case of "negligence" and that during the ongoing unrest, which started after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8, police control room was flooded with calls from across the border.

PTI